AN: Like many others, I too was affected by the tragedy at Virginia Tech. I spent the week trying to make sense of what happened, trying to find some way to explain it all. I drew a blank, and wrote this story. It is a Jean/Marie fic, but it is also a tribute to the victims and to their families. At the same time, it is a prayer that this will make all of us wiser.
Tragedy's Hold
"Sometimes, criminals will blame their actions on their environment. In many cases, attacks of rage will be traced to an abusive household, anger at the wrongful death of a loved one, even being bullied by the victim of the crime. Keep in mind, however, that violence is not a disease. People still have the choice to become violent or to remain peaceful. So, in all honesty, these defenses are a crock of-" Jean's lecture was cut off by Jamie, also called Multiple, bursting through the door.
"DOCTOR GREY! YOU NEED TO TURN ON THE NEWS!" He said frantically.
"What's wrong Jamie?" Jean asked, worry evident on the doctor's face.
"There's been a shooting at Virginia Tech.!" Jamie whispered, tears in his eyes. Everyone started at this news and Jean quickly turned on the television, flipping through the channels until she found CNN. It was true, someone had opened fire in a dorm room at Virginia Tech.
The remainder of the day found everyone, students and teachers alike, crowded around the closest TV. Classes had been canceled for the day, everyone was far too preoccupied with the events unfolding at the university. Finally, at the end of the day, the final body count had been announced. Thirty-three students at Virginia Tech. were dead, including the shooter, an immigrant outcast named Seung Hui Cho.
This was the scene two days ago, and still the school could feel the raw pain of Virginia Tech. tearing at their hearts. Jean was curled in Marie's lap, watching as the media viciously attacked campus security for something that no one could have prevented. Jean buried her face in her wife's shoulder, drawing comfort from Marie's strong embrace.
"How can they blame the campus staff for what he did?" Marie seethed as her grip tightened on the now pregnant doctor.
After a few months together, a marriage, and a long discussion, Jean and Marie had agreed that they both wanted a baby. Instead of adoption or artificial incimination, Marie practiced with Mystique's powers until she managed to make a male version of herself, complete with all of the equipment needed to make a baby. Once Marie got used to her new...attachment...she started using it to try to make a baby with Jean. The end result was a pregnant Jean, and a mansion full of confused mutants when the couple tried in vain to explain just how Marie was the "father".
"I don't know sweetie. Maybe they just don't want to accept the fact that maybe there really was nothing that could be done to prevent this." Jean wispered as she allowed herself to drown in Marie's comfort. Marie shook her head, furious at the media for their arguement that the gunman should have been expelled long ago.
"What gives them the right to blame the staff?! Cho was the one who pulled the gun on his fellow students!" Marie said as a bitter tear fell down her face.
"It's a matter of closure Marie, people need someone to blame. It's human nature to feel better when you can pin blame on someone else." Jean said, trying to soothe Marie's anger, but to no avail.
"THEN WHY THE HELL DON'T THEY BLAME THE SHOOTER!!!!" Marie shouted as she stood, moving Jean out of her lap as she did so. Jean's heart broke as she watched her love, her life, her everything, pace the room with a look of anger and bewilderment. She stood slowly and gently took Marie by the shoulders, guiding her back to the couch.
"Baby, calm down. Don't worry about the media okay? They're just looking for a good story." Jean said as she sat back down on Marie's lap and kissed her gently.
"Exactly! Instead of considering the victim's families, they are concerned with the fact that this all makes a great story! They're pinning everything on the staff when they should be leaving them alone to grieve their losses!" Marie growled as Jean stroked her arm in an attempt to calm her.
"Marie, maybe they really think that this could've been prevented. I mean, if Cho had been expelled or sent to counseling-"
"FOR WHAT?! Jean, you can't expell a student just because he's weird! And if he had a history of mental illness, then how did he manage to legally purchase a handgun?! Why aren't they asking the government why they allowed him to buy a gun?!" Marie ranted angrily.
"Sweetie, the law states that anyone without a criminal record can own a gun." Jean stated.
"I know." Marie grumbled. Then, her face lighted with a look of realization. She gently pushed Jean out of her lap and made a mad dash for a phone. Jean followed, confused as to what had caused the sudden change in her lover's mood.
"Marie, who are you calling?" She asked as Marie picked up the phone.
"Our state representative." Marie said calmly.
"WHAT?!" Jean's eyes widened.
"I'm going to ask him to propose a bill stating that people with a history of mental illness should not be allowed to legally purchase a gun." Marie said as she dialed.
"...Can you do that?"
"Yes I can. As a citizen, I am allowed to ask the representative of my state to propose a bill in Congress."
"Marie, why are you so focused on this?" Jean couldn't help but ask. She'd never seen Marie with such a fire in her eyes. It was almost as if the past few days had awakened some sort of sleeping lioness in her wife. It also seemed as though this lioness would not sleep again until she had her way.
Marie paused and hung up the phone. She looked deep into Jean's emerald eyes as she approached her pregnant wife and rested her hands on her swollen stomach.
"Jean, we're gonna have a baby in a few more weeks. I want to do whatever I can to ensure that my son or daughter is left with a world that's a little bit better than the one we've got right now." She wispered in an emotional voice, her love shining brightly in her chocolate eyes.
Jean swooned a bit. She loved everything about Marie, but her favorite thing about her wife was her eyes. Marie had a habit of wearing masks, but no amount of denial could ever keep her eyes from showing her feelings. When the rest of her radiated confidence, those eyes would always betray her true fear. When her face screamed anger, her eyes wispered pain. When her look meant seriousness, her eyes revealed her playful nature. It was Jean's little lie detector, and this time it detected no lie in her wife's words.
"Marie, you're taking on the government." Marie shrugged with a small smile.
"I'll take on the whole world if I have to. As long as I have you and this baby, I have my reason to keep fighting." She wispered sincerely, kissing Jean deeply.
Jean said nothing, she could only smile as she watched her lioness protect her family.
AN:This story is dedicated to the memory of the victims of Virginia Tech. and to the hope that we will all use this as a learning experience. Hopefully, instead of playing the blame game, we can learn how to prevent a tragedy like this from ever taking place again.